Cruz ramps up attack on ObamaCare

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is ramping up his attacks on ObamaCare — but in a way that will likely put him at odds with Republican leadership.

In two separate interviews on Thursday, Cruz said he would oppose a GOP strategy to extend ObamaCare subsidies that could be struck down by the Supreme Court later this month.

Instead, he said he wants a bill that would let states “opt-out of Obamacare” altogether, he told The Washington Post.

{mosads}“I think the best legislative option is to allow states to opt out,” the presidential candidate told Politico.

The King v. Burwell case, which could result in an estimated 6.4 million people losing their subsidies, is the Republican Party’s biggest healthcare challenge before the next election. In Texas alone, 832,334 people stand to lose their subsidies.

The majority of Senate Republicans — Cruz not included — have signed onto a plan from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) that would temporarily continue the subsidies, while also repealing the individual and employer mandates.

Two other presidential candidates in the Senate, Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), also declined to co-sponsor the bill, though it did earn the backing from a fourth candidate, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

If the court rules against ObamaCare, Republicans will need to act fast to prevent millions of people from dropping out of their healthcare plans.

If no plan is enacted, Democrats are likely to cast the blame on Republicans, who had widely backed the case initially.

But the prospect of a conservative win in King v. Burwell has caused friction among congressional Republicans, who have sharply disagreed on how to avert a healthcare meltdown.

Last month, House and Senate leaders disclosed that they will not be releasing their contingency plans for the court case until after the decision.